SUNDAY AM: Paramount says PG-13 Transformers officially made $22.7 million Friday and $25.9 million Saturday and a projected $18.9 million Sunday from 4,011 North American theaters. After a record breaking Fourth Of July mid week opening, I’m told the DreamWorks battle of the bots hauled in a hefty $67.6 million this weekend for a 6 1/2 day cume of $152.5 million. So, in even less time, Transformers now has scored the biggest 7-day opening of all time for a non-sequel, passing Spider-Man 1 ($151.6M), The Passion Of The Christ ($144.6M) and Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone ($129.4). In addition, Transformers has grossed $93.6 million in 29 overseas markets representing 40% of the international business. Paramount estimates the global box office by end of day Sunday at $246.1 mil. The domestic cume is 50% more gross receipts than Paramount anticipated, and 20% more than others predicted. That’s also equivalent to the budget of the rock ‘em, sock ‘em movie without marketing costs. “Word has gotten out to the parents that it’s OK to take the kids,” a Paramount exec told me Friday. Cinemascope gives Transformers an A with “under 18″ and “18 to 24 years olds” giving it an A+. Biggest reason why moviegoers went to see it was “subject matter” (63%) and “type of movie” (35%). Other data have showed a strong nostalgia factor for Transformer toys and toons. Paramount also tells me preliminary exit polling shows that, among general audiences, Transformers is playing strongest with general audiences’ older females (Moms) and through the roof with kids (90% of boys say they would definitely recommend) and parents (82% say they would definitely recommend). But the studio says that what is making the big box office difference is African Americans and Latinos flocking to see the film. but especially Latino audiences. Transformers, directed by Michael Bay and supervised by Steven Spielberg, has smashed one-day records for Tuesday ($27.8M), Wednesday ($29M), and Thursday ($19.1M) as well as for Independence Day. On Monday night, the pic took in $8.8M.

Disney / Pixar said its No. 2 Ratatouille took in $9.4 Friday, $10.9 Saturday (thanks to those kiddie matinees) and a projected $8.7 mil Sunday from 3,940 venues, a drop of only 39% from last week. That’s another $29 mil weekend for Remy the rat and friends, and new cume of $109.5 mil. Its Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday opening week grosses proved to be the biggest ever for a Pixar film, and the pic passed the magic $100M mark in only 9 days. Meanwhile, Disney insists that, despite the obvious challenge of merchandising a kitchen rat, it can’t keep enough Remy plush toys on its store shelves. In 3rd place, Live Free Or Die Hard made $17.2 mil this weekend from 3,411 playdates, a drop of 48% compared to last week. So far, the Bruce Willis action film’s cume is a respectable $83.8 mil. Comedy newcomer from Warner’s, License To Wed (with some of the worst ads I’ve ever seen), placed fourth with a $10.4 mil weekend from 2,604 theaters and a new cume of $17.8 mil. Please, someone convince Robin Williams to appear in better quality movies again.

In 5th place, Universal’s Evan Not So Almighty continues to lag its 3rd week out. That prediction that this, the most expensive comedy ever made ($210 mil) won’t even break $100 mill domestic looks truer every weekend. It took in just $8.1 mil this weekend from 3,460 venues for a new cume of $78.1 mil. MGM / The Weinstein Co’s horror film 1408 based on Stephen King’s work and starring John Cusack is 6th after making another $7.1 mil this weekend from 2,631 playdates. Its new cume is $53.7 mil. Universal’s six-week veteran laugher Knocked Up is sticking alive and kicking; in 7th place, it earned $5.1 mil Friday through Sunday from 2,219 theaters for a new hefty cume of $132 mil. (Remember, it only cost a measly $30 mil.) No. 8 Fox’s Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer is petering out at the start of its fourth week: it made just $4 mil this weekend from 2,219 venues for a new cume of $123.5 mil. So is #9 Warner’s Ocean’s Thirteen at the start of its 5th week in release: it earned only $3.6 mil this weekend from 2,102 theaters for a new cume of $109.3 mil. And, completing the Top 10, Michael Moore’s Sicko health care documentary from The Weinstein Co looks like it won’t top his 2002 Bowling For Columbine. Though already in 8th place among documentary moneymakers, Sicko took in $3.5 mil from 702 theaters for a new cume of $11.3 mil. Though that’s only a 22% drop from last week, its per screen average has halved.

Meanwhile, there was some chest-beating boasting by Hollywood studios today. Disney proclaimed that its summer threequel Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World Ends passed the $300 million domestic box office mark this weekend. And Sony announced its international gross receipts crossed the $1 billion mark faster than ever before in its history, thanks to this summer’s Spider-Man 3.